Action Line
Mahir Haneef
Kochi
Following grenade attacks by the police on student protestors and National Congress-Indira activists at various parts of the State, objections regarding police action from various corners of the society are strengthening. The State Government is still hiding in the dark regarding the grenade attacks on unarmed protestors and hasn’t revealed the classification and damage potential of the grenades used.
Though it is widely stated that Kerala police used “just stun grenades”, a report that came on CNN regarding the encounter that killed the notorious bandit Veerappan states “After firing warning shots and an exchange of gunfire, police said, they hurled a stun grenade and later confirmed Veerappan had been killed.”
This brings our attention to the fact that the weapon called stun grenade, used on unarmed protesters in Kerala, is in fact used in operations to kill or capture bandits like Veerappan in other States. Former DGP Alexander Jacob’s statement to one of the television channels in an interview also verifies the fact that the stun grenade used by police is dangerous. Mr Jacob said in his interview to the channel: “Kerala police do not have separate arms and ammunitions. The devices used by Kerala police are those used by the police all over India.”
It is also pointed out by several experts that the grenade attacks took place in violation of several rules regarding their use. The primary rule in using such equipment is that it should be used only against an armed mob, but the student protestors weren’t armed. The law also states that it should be used only on the Collector’s order. In his absence, the Revenue Divisional Officer or Tahasildar has to order such attacks. But none of these officials were present or were aware of such an action by the police.
Even when debates on rules and regulation dominate the scene, the question whether such high-potential offensive equipment can be used to deal civilian protests remain unanswered. This becomes particularly relevant when such police action happen only against those opposing government moves, clearly denoting abuse of power.
Shobhana George, Ex-MLA
The use of grenades on peaceful protestors, that too students less, cannot be approved in any way. The protesting students were less than 100 in number and were unarmed. Police rules don’t state anywhere that grenades can be used. The Police Act of 1960 also doesn’t allow the use of grenades. Who gave the police the power to use grenades against civilians? The use of grenades in a peaceful State like Kerala is unwarranted.
Justice VR Krishna Iyer
In the khadi country, khaki is dominating police power. These days, to my utter shock, I find the police behaving with unabated brutality. They are using lathis and other weapons including grenades, which to my mind, are atrociously beyond the moderate violence they are allowed to used. Actually, they (the protestors) were unarmed people. They could have been prevented from marching just by blocking them with moderate force. Even girls, to my tears, I found beaten. Therefore, I protest against the indefensible savagery by the police.
T Chandran, Superintendent of Police, Thrissur
The grenades used by Kerala police in these attacks are stun grenades. They are used to stun you and can’t do any other harm. But if hits directly, injury may happen.
Sindhu Joy, SFI activist injured in the grenade attack
It was an organised attack. When we reached the barricade, the water cannons were directed at us. While this was going on, the police launched smoke bombs and then threw the grenade at us while we were groping about.
The statement that it was a stun grenade is a blatant lie. My leg muscles were burned away and half of my fee is lost. Doctors removed a shrapnel from the leg. Shrapnels were found on those who weren’t hit directly also. I saw the grenades and they are not stun grenades made of plastic.
Advocate Sreevalsan Nair, NC-I activist injured in grenade attack
I was in the front row of the rally and when we reached 2-3 metres away from the barricade, the police threw the grenades at us without any warning. One grenade hit my lower leg and the police prevent my friends attempt to take me to a hospital.
I underwent an emergency operation for my leg and the doctor extracted one-inch long grenade shrapnel from the wound. Doctors say my leg may have to be amputated. Vinod (another activist) was not hit directly by the grenade, but was injured by shrapnels. Statements that it was a stun grenade are lies.
TV Rajesh, SFI state secretary
The kind of grenades used on us are used by Border Security Force on infiltrators at the border. There are rules stating that it should be used to confront a violent mob and that too should be directed with sufficient gap from persons. Eight of us are in hospital due to injuries from these grenade attacks. We have found shrapnel on many of the injured. Bones and nerves of the injured were destroyed by the grenades. This is definitely shell grenade and not stun grenade. We have decide to do a campaign on grenades among the people and we are also sending video cassettes of the attacks to National Human Rights Commission.
